Publication Date: 2023/02/08
Abstract: Kurga or makia-kia is a disease of neonates and infants, common to Plateau, Nassarawa and Kaduna states of Nigeria, and said to be more pathological in male children than female. Although the disease is well known among the local population, unfortunately, medical professionals have often denied the existence of such a disease due to the absence of scientific data to back up such a claim. The disease is characterized by dermatological irregularities such as skin patches, often around the nose and face, skin ulcers and desquamation, greenish –yellowish mucoid stools, abdominal discomforts, anal ulceration, constipation and neonatal hemorrhoids. Most parents whose infants were affected by the disease often claim that hospital prescriptions were ineffective, thereby resolving to alternative medicines, prominent amongst which is Acalypha wilkensiana or Allium sativum. Thus, the aim of this study is the ‘Evaluation of the effect of co- administration of Acalypha wilkensiana and Allium sativum on kurga or makia –kia disease, provide some scientific basis to ascertain the existence of the disease and to isolate the causative pathogen. The study employed a combination of qualitative and experimental research design. Questionaires were used to sample out the opinions or experiences of local women within some of the affected areas in order to establish a theory pertaining the diseases. Young albino wistar rats, weighing between 250 to 800g were divided into five groups, with each group, made up of five young rats. Causative pathogens isolated from stool samples collected from infants who have shown 85% of the disease symptoms were used to induce the disease into four of the affected groups , designated as infected untreated group (IR) , infected treated group ( ITR1), which were administered 100mg/kg bw of the extracts mixture, ITR-2 which were administered only Acalypha wilkensiana aqueous mixture at a dose of 100mg/kg bw , and finally, ITR-3 , which were administered aqueous extract of Allium sativum at 100mg/kg bw. Thereafter, stool and blood samples were collected for analysis and documentation. The qualitative approach revealed 89% of the study respondents, affirming the existence of the disease, with only 11% denying. 78% of the women admitted to have had children who were affected by the disease, most of whom were between 0 and 6 months old at the time. 94% of such parents belief that hospital prescriptions were ineffective against the disease, while 76% admitted to taking their affected wards to herbal homes. Ninety percent (90%) of the samples obtained from infants who have presented with at least 80% of the disease symptoms revealed E.coli isolates. It is thus safe to establish that kurga disease does exist and is caused by E.coli, and could be managed effectively by Acalypha wilkensiana and Allium sativum, except in cases of co-infection with other pathogens with no registered susceptibility.
Keywords: Kurga, Makia-Kia.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7619661
PDF: https://ijirst.demo4.arinfotech.co/assets/upload/files/IJISRT23JAN578.pdf
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